It's no secret that #bye2016 hastags are jumping around the Internet like wildfire.
It's been an eventful year--worldwide. Whether you loved 2016 or you've been counting down the days to 2017 since we lost Bowie, the Spotify Community believes 2016 brought us some great music that deserves to be recognized.
The Spotify Community Team, Spotify Social Media & Content Team and our Spotify Rock Star Program all contributed to three lists: Best Songs of 2016, Best Albums of 2016 and Best Newcomers of 2016.
Our Spotify Community Rock Star @crematedman offered his insights into some of this year's choices.
Best Songs of 2016:
spotify:user:spotifycommunity:playlist:4al5L60KnPitVYFsLsIYm5
"Fill in the Blank", Car Seat Headrest
spotify:album:26DseQO366JfXwIP7dIgQj:small
The debut track of one of the most critically-acclaimed records of 2016, "Fill in the Blank" is a masterclass in lo-fi. An upbeat sample and an infectious riff make way for sharp percussion, and an aggressively disillusioned Will Toledo delivers some of the most incisive and deeply self-aware lyrics of the year: "You have no right to be depressed, you haven't tried hard enough to like it." A must listen for those unlucky enough not to have already.
For fans of: The Strokes, Pavement, LVL UP
"22 (Over S∞∞n)", Bon Iver
spotify:track:5oK98mpTJSU0iqLHN1hZ3y:small
Triumphant. Anybody who hasn't heard of Bon Iver in 2016 must have been living under a rock (or in their father's remote hunting cabin) for the past decade. "22 (Over S∞∞n)" teased one of the most anticipated album releases in the history of music.
Meticulously re-produced, the track features a hypnotic, metronomic horn, and a saxophone section that melts the soul, all effortlessly weaved into waves of guitar and piano. There was many a poor soul in 2016 stuck on repeat for days on end.
For fans of: Iron & Wine, Fleet Foxes, Ben Howard
"Familiar", Agnes Obel
spotify:track:4z7N3LUchksm6yMrH2XHA4:small
Breath-taking is an overused word. "Familiar" by Agnes Obel has a grandeur and finely-crafted beauty that sets it apart. Featuring violin and cello, and showers of soft keys, "Familiar's" mesmeric rhythm and breathy vocals are heavenly. Obel uses her voice as an instrument, with a modified version of her own voice she duets with herself.
For fans of: Brian Eno, Bat for Lashes, Emiliana Torrini
Best Albums of 2016:
spotify:user:spotifycommunity:playlist:2ufzqeTiSE9U57K3Zszkuu
A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead
spotify:album:6vuykQgDLUCiZ7YggIpLM9
In one of the most anticipated releases of the year, Radiohead delivered an eclectic and layered testament to art rock, showing again why they're renowned as one of the saviours of modern rock. The album itself is an emotionally-gripping commentary on fear, resignation and victimisation, tied into a cinematic and silky smooth soundtrack.
Thom Yorke's shaky delivery fosters a sense of panic and tension, dissipating in sections before building anew. In "Burn the Witch", "Daydreaming", "Identikit" and "Desert Island Disk", Radiohead challenge the formula of modern music culture with an integrity that is, ironically, hopeful.
For fans of: Arcade Fire, Pixies, Beck.
The Colour in Anything, James Blake
spotify:album:3W6y9r01OraL2mcoySQW9v
Where previous albums drew on melodrama and longing typical of James Blake's contemporaries, The Colour in Anything is self-aware. Understanding the tropes of folk, electronic and soul, Blake subverts them and plays with them, as in "Modern Soul" with its arrythmic flow.
Incorporating addictive hooks and pulsating synths throughout, the record has introspective depths with disarming authenticity. Somber at times in tone, James Blake's tender delivery and trademark repetition is devastatingly powerful.
For fans of: Thom Yorke, Nicolas Jaar, Jamie Woon.
Utopida Defeated, D.D. Dumbo
spotify:album:2HFzHGB6jiMSRdrODrk83s
Australian artist D. D. Dumbo came out of nowhere in 2016 to contribute a quirkily perfect experimental fusion record. Utopia Defeated has an organic flow, yet it is culturally diverse through its influences from world music. Vibrantly colourful with feverish percussion, "Walrus" refuses to be ignored. Across the following tracks, fluttering guitar, staccato brass and mellow sections guide the listener to an open state of mind.
At times glitchy and assymetric, at times choral and soothing, Oliver Perry melds blues, folk, rock and electronic elements together with a deceptive mastery, making it one of the most underrated debuts of the year.
For fans of: The Shins, Glass Animals, Broken Bells.
Best Newcomers of 2016:
spotify:user:spotifycommunity:playlist:2iEzw52k3AqeBwdy3erJ2f
Let us know your thoughts on our lists, share your own, comment, debate. Here's to 2017 bringing us more great music.
